Copyright yardbarker
Following NASCAR’s suspension of Sam Mayer at Phoenix this weekend, Haas Factory Team has named his replacement driver. Ryan Sieg will captain the No. 41 car in Mayer’s stead. Mayer was suspended for the race at Phoenix on Tuesday evening. His suspension was a result of a post-race interaction with Jeb Burton. After the two had some heated exchanges on the track during the race, Sam Mayer cleaned out Burton after the checkered flag. The wreck instantly drew scrutiny, including from NASCAR. Haas Factory Team announced that it will not appeal the penalty. The reasoning seemed straightforward, given the high-profile nature of the incident. “Although we are disappointed with the results, Haas Factory Team will not appeal the penalty NASCAR issued to Sam Mayer and the No. 41 team following last weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway,” a Haas Factory Team statement read. “We remain focused on finishing the season out strong at Phoenix Raceway and look forward to contending for a race win with Ryan Sieg at the wheel.” Jeb Burton rips Sam Mayer after Xfinity race After the finish, Jeb Burton got to tell his side of the Sam Mayer story. Of course, he ripped Mayer for his actions during and after the race. Burton knew why Mayer was upset. Still, he doesn’t really care. Burton feels that he wasn’t raced with respect that he tends to give Mayer. So, it appears that respect is done for now. “Uh, I think Sam was mad that last week he got taken out in an accident at Talladega and he was acting like a child like Sam is,” Burton said, via Noah Lewis of TSJ Sports. “We’re on old tires at the end of stage one, I believe. And he shipped me out of the way, I think we all saw that, I was on the front row, for no reason. I’ve always raced Sam really clean, never had a problem with him. “Then to, I moved him at the end for a spot because I was still pi--ed off at what he did, because when he moved me, I went back to 20th, and it really almost ruined our day because we got off strategy. So, that was frustrating. So, that’s why I moved him back. I didn’t wreck him, just moved him. At the end of the race after the checkered, he destroyed our car and wrecked us. “So, hopefully, NASCAR does something because he literally right reared me into the outside wall. So, I don’t know. I hate for my guys to tear up a car, but you know, I race a lot of people out here with respect, and I just want it back. And he ran over me for no reason, so I gave it back to him, and he threw a temper tantrum. So, it is what it is.” On3’s Jonathan Howard also contributed to this report.
